Is God Silent Towards Nigeria Prayers? -By Oladeji Olaniyan

I came across a tweet that made me have a deep thoughts on that question and asked myself some other questions.

Can we really say God is giving silence as an answer to Nigeria prayers?

Does it mean God that God doesn’t answer Nigeria prayers?

When I mean Nigeria prayers, I’m talking about Nigerians prayers for a better Nigeria.

Is God actually silent and not concerned about Nigeria and the prayers? Because with all the prayers things are not getting any better.

This is what I can think of that maybe playing out based on what I’ve seen as a Nigerian. I know we Nigerians are a people who are zealous about religious rhetorics and gymnastics.

We know how to pray so well. I even think the most prayerful or religious people in the world are resident in Nigeria. We pray a lot. But this is what I think; We engage in a counter-prayer exercise with our actions.

A counter-prayer exercise with our actions means that our actions run contrary to our prayers.

Our prayers have become like a charade- we use it to mask our underlying contradictory actions. Our actions do not align with our words. I think God is answering our prayers but our actions are acting as hindrance to our prayers.

Remember, Faith (prayers) and Work (actions) must work together to achieve a goal.

We pray for love of God while our hearts is a citadel of hatred, malicious and treacherous intents towards our neighbors. How will the love of God manifest? Will our actions not render that prayer null and void? I think it is because of us God said “this people draw near me with their mouth and honour me with their lips but their hearts is far from me.” Matt 15v8. Until our actions match our prayers, nothing would change in The God I know answers prayers but I think our actions are silencing the answers.

We pray to God to give us a good leader, but we don’t participate in the election process, how will the prayers be answered? We pray for the peace of Nigeria but we can’t live in peace with our neighbors. How will the peace come? Through religious rhetorics? Nooo, Never. God can’t be mocked nor deceived.

It is a simple law of nature, we reap what we sow. It is the law of God; sowing and reaping. Sow good reap good. Sow evil reap evil. Isn’t it?

An average Nigerian is more concerned about how to take advantage, make life difficult and miserable for the next person while the same person will go and pray to God on Friday or Sunday. The person may even be the prayer leader. Who are we deceiving?

We are like a farmer who plants good seeds (prayers) then when the seeds begin to sprout (answer) he start to wet the seeds with harmful chemicals (bad actions) everyday, how will the seeds survive?.

If our actions do not align with our prayers we’ll continue to engage in sheer religious gymnastics.

I dare to say that if we as a people put a halt to our prayers today and start focusing on doing things right. Making our actions align with all the prayers we’ve ever prayed, things would change.

I don’t want to go into international relations listing Nations that are less prayerful(religious) as Nigeria and are doing awesomely well, you know why? Their actions speak louder.

They reap what they sow, it is a simple law of nature. Law put in place by God. It works for everyone regardless of their beliefs system and inclinations.

It will continue to look like God is silent and quiet concerning Nigeria prayers until we align our actions with our words. Until we take sincere and intentional step towards doing things the right way. If that doesn’t change, I’m afraid, Nigeria may Continue to get aggravated.

But You and I can start it, if you decide to do the right thing and do the same. Maybe with time, others will join and our Actions will begin to align with our words then we may start seeing the manifestation of our prayers.